Leeds United head coach John Carver said it was one of his longest nights in football.

Even without the completely inexplicable three minutes of time added on after 90 minutes, last night's 2-1 defeat of Southampton would have certainly been a contender in any Leeds fan's book.

The visitors - introduced to the crowd by their alternative name 'draw specialists' Southampton - seemed determined to live up to their reputation of eight successive draws.

And Leeds looked as though they were doing their bit to keep things that way with a second half defensive policy from the 'quantity not quality/ the more the merrier' manual while still managing to miss markers.

Having failed to even remotely contain teen tearaway Theo Walcott in the first half, who at barely 5'4" shouldn't pose the tallest order to centre-halves like Sean Gregan and Stephen Crainey, an every man behind the ball tactic was instigated with all 11 players in the box for one corner.

The introduction of York-born defender Matthew Kilgallon for Gregan after 56 minutes also had a notable impact on the defence.

It worked - just. But they knew they had got away with it. Memories of playing Ipswich off the park and losing 2-0 were very much to the fore.

Rob Hulse made it eight goals in nine starts after just 11 minutes when he directed a bullet header past Antti Niemi from a Gary Kelly free-kick.

Robbie Blake then added a scorcher eight minutes later after finding himself in acres of space, with the ball dropping sweetly and the goal asking for it.

But then Walcott, who can't even start learning to drive until March, taught Leeds skipper Paul Butler a new trick. Martin Cranie punted a long ball forward, Walcott - who could be considered for an ASBO for the way he terrorised the Leeds defenders - ran at it and Butler headed the ball behind him for the 16-year-old to finish like a seasoned pro. Neil Sullivan got two hands to it, but the ball went through him and bobbled over the line.

Carver compared him to Andy Cole; said he wished he was playing for Leeds and challenged Harry Redknapp to hang on to him in the wake of Premiership interest.

Along with Ricardo Fuller, he certainly exposed a worrying shortage of pace in the Leeds back four.

United had their chances too, though, as demonstrated by Kelly and Blake both striking the woodwork from free-kicks.

But in reality they were the ones desperately hanging on to the points with Sheffield United due at Elland Road in just two days time. Perhaps it's no wonder Redknapp backed Leeds to go up come May - alongside his Saints.

Coca-Cola Championship

Leeds United 2, Southampton 1

(at Elland Road)

Leeds United: Sullivan, Kelly, Butler, Gregan (Kilgallon 56), Derry, Lewis, Richardson (Einarsson 74), Harding, Douglas, Hulse, Blake (Healy 64). Subs not used: Bennett, Moore. Goals: Hulse 11, Blake 19. Booked: Derry 28, Douglas 31.

Southampton: Niemi, Belmadi (Kosowski 68), Lundekvam, Cranie, Hajto (Delap 83), McCann, Higginbotham, Oakley, Quashie, Fuller (Jones 74), Walcott. Subs not used: Ormerod, Smith. Goal: Walcott 25. Booked: Belmadi 52, Oakley 83.

Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire).

Attendance: 18,881.

Updated: 09:06 Wednesday, October 19, 2005